Like any other business, there are very specific documents that must be acquired to legally run an Internet cafe. Various cities may have different requirements as far as business licenses, but regardless of location there are some general legal documents that are needed for running this type of a business.

Basic Business License

An Internet cafe, like any other type of business, requires a basic business license. This can be the paperwork for a sole proprietorship, a limited liability corporation, or any other type of legal set up for a business. An LLC makes a lot of sense because of liability issues that are taken care of, but it is an individual's choice. However a start up Internet cafe will need to be set up as a business and have all the proper paperwork and licenses to operate accordingly.

Food License Issues

Many Internet cafes also operate as coffee houses or with similar food and snacks. Because of that, there may be additional business licenses that are required in order to run the business. The exact licenses required can vary from location to location, but almost anywhere some type of specific health license must be received in order to serve food of any kind.

Seller's License

While a seller's license is not necessary in all places, or in all types of Internet cafes, this is a license that is required for certain ones. Most of the time, a seller's license is required if there are physical products that are sold; some states will require a seller's license in addition to all the other business licenses for your Internet cafe to run legally. So if the Internet cafe is set up to sell video games, software or any other type of physical equipment, then it would be a good idea to check with the state requirements to make sure you're fully covered to operate.